Finance Friday: Fun and Cute, But Low Credit Score, Walk Away

When you ask people what they are looking for in a romantic partner, you will get a long list of traits. Some will say they care about the way that a person looks; others will say they want someone with a good personality. There are no right or wrongs things to consider when you are trying to find someone with whom you are compatible. It is a matter of personal choice.

It may be surprising to learn there is a new trait that people may be concerned with when they are looking for someone with whom to start a relationship. They might be wondering about that person’s credit score. They may not come out and ask the person about their credit score, but it is something about which they may be thinking. If you want to meet someone with whom you can have a relationship, you need to realize that credit score dating is happening everywhere.

What does a Credit Score Show About You?

Your credit score is a reflection of many things. It shows your ability to borrow money. That is a basic concept that most people understand. The better a credit score is, the easier it is to get credit. For some, it does not matter if you can afford to take them out to dinner every night. They want to know that you have the credit that will be needed to provide for their needs in the future. They want to know that you can borrow the money for a home and that you will be able to get the credit to provide them with the lifestyle they want.

Your credit score does more than just give you access to credit. It is used by many businesses to decide how risky a person you are. Insurance companies check your credit score before they issue a policy. They use the score to help them decide how much you will pay for the insurance that you want. The lower your score, the more you will pay for insurance. The insurance companies believe that a low score is an sign that an individual is riskier and that is why they charge more. When it comes to dating, that bad credit may present a risk that the other person is not willing to take.

Your ability to manage credit shows many things about your personality. If you cannot manage your credit, you may not be able to manage a relationship. Your risky behaviors might put your dating partner in jeopardy, and that is something not everyone is willing to accept.

How does it Work?

If you first meet someone, you are most likely not going to use an opening line asking if they have a credit check regularly completed. That is not the way to introduce yourself and that is not the way to ensure someone is interested in you. It is also something that may not come up when you are on a first date; but, you might notice some signs to give you clues about the other person’s credit score. For instance, if they use a credit card and it gets denied at a restaurant; that might be a red flag, warning they may have credit issues.

You may not be able to ask, “What is your credit score?’ right away when you start dating someone; but, it is a conversation that should occur at some point early in a relationship. A couple needs to understand that, if they get more serious, they will influence each other’s credit. They will eventually make decisions about how they manage their finances and their credit. They may get joint credit accounts. If you plan to take these steps, you need to make sure that your partner is going to take care of their credit in a responsible manner.

What should you do?

If you want to have a good dating experience, you need to get credit scores and reports for yourself. Make sure you know the condition your own credit is in before you start dating. If your score is low, learn ways to improve your score. Take the time to learn how to manage your credit. It could help you in your social life and it may help you in other areas of your life, as well.

Not everyone is going to admit they may consider the credit history of someone they are dating. That is not a romantic tale they will want others to know. They would rather focus on the special things about their relationship when they tell others about their partner. They may not tell people that credit matters in a partner, but they might think it. Make sure you have the best chance of finding a great partner by managing your credit wisely.

About Guest Post Contributor

Joy Mali is a staff writer on The Washington Times and Examiner. Her work is also published on Lifehack, Yahoo and other mainstream sites. She likes to share interesting tips to help people manage their personal finances & credit.